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dissolving spray foam

post #1 of 16
9/22/06 at 8:42am
Thread Starter 
i just picked up a *free* saratoga 5 (woman) hot tub. it frooze last winter and the guy had a pool company repair "all" (not) the splits. they pack these things with spray foam, and i thought PVC primer would melt it like heat on ice,wrong!!!! dosen't do a thing to it. if primer won't *melt* the foam i realy don't know what would. anyone have any ideas?

TIA
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post #2 of 16
9/22/06 at 9:02am
Why not fiberglass over the foam and then paint the whole thing?
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post #3 of 16
9/22/06 at 9:05am
Is the tub fiberglass or Acrylic? IF Acrylic, a solvent strong enought to dissolve the foam, will f'u the tub. Now fiberglass is anothe story, I would use Methlene Chloride, but the average Joe won't have it. You could try Acetone or MEK, both available in the paint sections of hardware store.
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post #4 of 16
9/22/06 at 1:34pm
Have you tried a fiery torch?
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post #5 of 16
9/22/06 at 6:46pm
Thread Starter 
it's the underside of the tub, where all the pipes are located. so no solvent will be getting on the tub itself.

JAL- pvc primer is acetone, and i was very surprised that it didn't do anything to the foam. don't know what MEK is.

speed- hmmm funny i didn't even think about the tourch, thanks. i'll try it in the morning.

between the returns, supplies and the air lines their are alot of pipes under those things, and their all encased in spray foam. i was kinda hoping for a way to disolve a little at a time as i work my way through them looking for cracks. the other option wich i've done on one side is to use a screw driver and slowly chip away at the foam.

thanks for the help guys
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post #6 of 16
9/22/06 at 8:48pm
got me on this one.......
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post #7 of 16
9/25/06 at 7:22am
Thread Starter 
didn't get a chance to work on it this weekend, but this is what i'm up against.



what i did on the upper left i have to do to the lower right, i'm thinking i should have stained the water in some way to make finding the cracks a little easier.
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post #8 of 16
9/25/06 at 8:08am
MEK = Methyl Ethyl Ketone, and is nasty stuff....
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post #9 of 16
9/25/06 at 1:31pm
Found this tool on the big auction site (E). Might be just the tool for the job

NEW WILDCAT PNEUMATIC OSCILLATING KNIFE GLASS CUTTER

\tItem number: 300029497519\t



The CRL Wildcat Pneumatic Air Knife is a lightweight variable speed air tool that delivers up to 20,000 oscillations per minute and, when used with CRL Oscillating Cutout Blades, cuts through hardened urethane with ease.
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post #10 of 16
9/28/06 at 7:10am
gasoline dissolves styro instantly. Don't know if it will work on your foam but worth a try.
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post #11 of 16
9/28/06 at 4:17pm
yup poured some in a styrofoam cup one time bottom gone instantly
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post #12 of 16
9/28/06 at 5:22pm
Can't guarantee it will work, but have you tried Blaster Catalyst? If it works, great. If not, you have a can of the stuff to free rusted bolts. Any auto parts store will carry it.
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post #13 of 16
9/28/06 at 8:29pm
If that stuff is anything like Great stuff forgedabout it.

Thats stuff is just ridiculous

What about trying to cut sections out with a dremel or drywall router???

Good Luck
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post #14 of 16
9/28/06 at 9:49pm
The best way to get all the leaks is to make some sawhorses out of some 4x4 lumber and fill tub while in the air and slowy chop foam with a claw hammer. use of blue food dye might make it easier to locate hidden cracks. Frozen spas really suck because you think you found all the leaks and after filling and running, the glue joints start to pop due to stress of freezing.

Tom
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post #15 of 16
9/29/06 at 12:09am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tjr
Frozen spas really suck because you think you found all the leaks and after filling and running, the glue joints start to pop due to stress of freezing.

Tom


yeah tom i'm finding this out. i figured being in the trade it would be a piece of cake...wrong!!!. i wish i had the idea of the 4x4 horses before i thought i got all the leaks. now it's up on the deck on it's side again. i'm hoping that the flex pvc took the brunt of the expansion, i haven't found any cracked fittings yet, just the flex. i should have dyed the water first, that would have been a big help.

thanks for all the sugestions guys. i'm hoping to finish it this weekend.
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